With the Sierra Nevada snowpack at a virtually non-existent level of 5% of historic average, running out of water in California isn’t something that’s too far-fetched. I came up with a few tips to help conserve water while we still have it:
merino wool
For winter 2015, Outdoor Research added the Essence Tights to their lineup of women’s base layers. As a merino wool fiend, I was extra stoked when they sent me a pair to test as a part of #ORInsightLab.
I’m a pretty particular person when it comes to things that go on my head. I had a bunch of beanies accumulating around my house from years past, but none of them were quite right. One 20% off REI coupon last winter had me trying on every cold weather hat in the store. That’s when I stumbled across the Arc’teryx Bird Head Toque. This has been the best beanie I’ve tried yet.
New to the Outdoor Research lineup this winter is the Constellation Hoody, a mid-layer jacket with the perfect blend of tech and casual.
[sn] super.natural is an emerging player in the natural fibers garment game in the United States.
I got my hands on the [sn] super.natural W Base Tee 140 to test over the last month. This shirt has seen my office, airplanes, rafting in Idaho, the Eastern Sierra, and more. Launched in 2012, this brand is a fairly new player in the outdoor garment game, but the quality is fantastic.
The 140 weight base tee is super lightweight! It wicks away moisture and sweat to keep you cool, and dries extremely quickly. The merino wool gives this anti-microbial and anti-odor properties, making it okay to wear consecutive days on the trails or to the office without smelling absolutely horrible.
Despite the lighter weight, the merino wool-synthetic blend stands up to wear-and-tear of constant use. No holes from buttons on jeans, rock abrasions, backpacks, weekly washings, or kitten claws, yet!
My only complaint about this shirt? The tag and logo decals are like those DIY iron on t-shirt ones that you made shirts with in high school. They all started to peel off after the first wash. The decals leave behind an imprint of what used to be there.
I’m such a sucker for merino wool performance shirts, so I’ll definitely be stocking up on this brand. If you’re a fan of the Icebreaker Tech T Lite, this is comparable, and slightly more affordable.
The German brand launches in North America this fall. [sn] super.natural will available at Nordstrom and on Amazon. The W Base Tee 140 retails for $50.
This was sent to me for review.